Signal device for motor vehicles



June 21, 1921. H. LEGENDRE SiG NAL DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1% leg encYre IA/VEA/FUR coacts with a means of a link 10 to a crank 11 'moimted' Patented June 21, 1 927.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI LEGENDRE, Q3 PARIS, FRANCE.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MO'10R1VEHICLES.

Application 11101! February 2 6, 1926, Serial 110. 90,989, and in Germany August 25, 195 15.

My invention relates to a signal device for motor vehicles whereby the driver is enabled to show .to the vehicles in the rear the direction he intends to take, of his intention to stop.

The said signal device comprisestwo pivoted arms which are mounted on the respective sides of the vehicle and are con-v trolled by' the power of the engine suction in such manner as to pivot into the honzontal position at the sides of the vehicles.

The said arms carry lanterns which may be Fi 5 is a partial section on the line 55, of Fig. 4 a

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing details of the piston.

The arrangement shown in' Fig. 1 com prises two pivoted arms 1 and 2 disposed upon the sides of the vehicle. The said arms are lowered at the exterior by the suctionof the engine, against the actlon of the antagonistic springs tending to straighten the device. "By the use of the three-way cock 3, the driver can bring one of the said arms, into the horizontal position to show that he intends to turn to the right or left, he may bring. down both arms to show that'he means to stop. The said arms will remain in the vertical position during the -normal travel of the vehicle.

Each arm is mounted on a horizontal axle 4 journaled in a drum 5 secured to a cylinder 6 which is mounted on a ball-bearingsupport 7 secured to the vehicle body. By means of the ball-bearing I am enabled to suitably regulate the position of the apparatus to correspond to the various types of vehicles.

The cylinder 6 communicates through a pipe Swith the engine suction said cylinder piston 9 which is pivoted by on the shaft 4.

When the cock 3 is in the proper position-,-

there is produced, through the conduit 8, a vacuum under the piston 9, so that the piston will descend, thus rotating the shaft 4- and bringing the arm 1 into the horizontal position.

The said arm preferably consists of two telescoping parts, as shown in the dr ings, whereby its length may be regulated according to circumstances. Upon the said rod is mounted a lantern 12, which may have,

for instance, a triangular shape; said frame contains one or more lamps which are arranged for automatic lighting.

In thepresent example there are two lamps 13 and 14, comprising a white lamp which is lighted when the arm is in the vertical position, and a,colored lamp, red

or green, which is lighted when the arm, is

in the horizontal position. For this purpose the lantern 12 is provided with a rod 15 having slidable thereon a ball 16 and which is electrically grounded upon the metallic parts. I

The said ball may v.take contact alternately with the two insulated contact pieces 17 and 18, each of which is connected with one of the terminals of a lamp, the other terminals being each connected to a conductor 19 supplying the current which is brought into the said arm andits support so as to be entirely protected against the ram.

The rod 15 is inclined at degrees relatively to the said arm, so that when the arm is pivoted about, the said ball will be caused to slide, thus alternately grounding each lamp circuit by means of the said ball. In

this manner the white lamp 13 will be lighted in the vertical-position of the said rod,

thus forming a lantern signal. When the green lamp 14 sition by the spring 20 surrounding the drum 5 .and attached at one end to the shaft 4 and at the other endto the said drum.

To make the signal more visible, the device may be so arranged that the said'arins are given an osc llating motion when near the horizontal stationary.

For this purpose, the piston 9 may be expositioh, instead of remaining ios Each arm is brought into this vertical po- Y tended by a rod 21 slidable through-the end of the c linder 6 and slotted at 22 adjacent the sai piston, so that at the end of the e admitted which will momentarily suppress the vacuum below the piston so that it can ascend to a certain degree. As the suction continues, the piston again descends, thus imparting a series of osclllations to the arm.

Obviously, I may employ any other suitable means for the admission of air when thepiston is at the end of its stroke, for instance a slide valve, a clack valve, or the like.

The aforesaid automatic lighting and extinguishing device may placed by any other suitable means for attainin the desired result, and depending upon e raising or lowering of the said arm. I may empioy the device shown in Figs. 4: to 6, which affords a most reliable operation. The cylinder 6 is closed at the topby a screw cap 23 providing for the admission of air but preventing all entrance of water. For,this purpose, to the said cap is secured a pipe 24 apertured at the top at 25 and protected by' a tapered cap 26. Inthe piston 9 is formed an aperture 27 comprising at the top a recess 28 which serves as a seat for the clack valve 29; said valve is guided ina socket 30 secured to the piston 9, and comrises the screw plug 31. The spring 32 is interposed between the said plug and the socket 30.

Within the said clack valve is mounted a the clack valve 29 is pressed upon its seat 28 due to the action of the cap 23 upon the rod 34. When suction takes place below the piston 9, the clack valve 29'is pressed upon its seat according as the suction or vacuum increases, and all circulation of air through the orifice 27 is cut ofi.

When the piston 9 descends to a suflicient degree, the end of the rod 36 makes contact with the end of the cylinder 6 and the valve 29 1s thus lifted, afiording an admission of air, so that the piston 9 will rise under the action of the antagonistic ring. The valve 29 then closes, the piston ascends, and the cgcle of operations thus continues as long as t e driver opens the suction.

' To regulate the degree of the suction, I

' providea throttling screw 37 in the conduit 8 between the apparatus and the engine. To'obviate all shocks, I prefer to employ a nib 38 upon the arm 1 which abuts,lwhen piston stroke, a certain amount of air will.

he obviously re-.

mean-1a the arm is lowered, against a rubber disk 1 39 for instance, which is mounted on the cylinder 6. e v

In order to sup 1y current to the lamps, I provide a contact device 40 uponthe drum 42 comprising for instance two sprmg-mounted carbon brushes 41. Upon the shaft 4 '15 mounted an insulating cylinder of ebonite or. the like carrying contac pieces coacfiPg with the said brushes and connected by wires passing throu h the insulation to two terminals to whi are connected the wires leading-through the arms-to the lamps of the ap aratusa e arm is preferably provided with a white and a green lamp. The cylinder contact correspon to the white lamp is made narrowso asto htthislamp onl when thearmisintheverticalpositlonan serves as a lantern. But the Icontatlzlt pm: respondingtothegreen amp asa length,sothatthegreenlampw1llbehghted during the whole movement of the arm and begins to take the pivoted at one end to the crank, a cylinder, a piston mounted in this cyhnder an pivoted to the other end of the said .said arm into the vertical position, alink' link, a conduit connecting this cylinder with the intake of the motor, a valve device mounted on the said conduit controlled by the driver and means allowing the external air to enter the cylinder every time the piston reaches the end of its stroke.

2. A'signal device for motor vehicles comprising at one side of the vehicle a p voting arm, a crank rigidly connected with .the said arm, a spring upwardly urging the said arm into the vertical tron, a link pivoted at one end to the crank, a cylmder, a piston mounted in this cyhnder and ivoted to the other end of the link, a conuit connecting this cylinder with the intake of the motor, a valve device mounted on the said conduit and controlled by the driver, a clack valve adapted to close an orifice 1n the piston, and means for lifting said valve when the said piston is near the lower end of its stroke.

3. A signal device for motor vehicles tron a hnkduit connecting this cylinder with the intake of the motor, a valve device mounted on this conduit and ada ted to be controlled bythe driver an a clack valve adafited to close an orifice inthe piston, the sai valve havin an ,extension passin through the said piston and projecting from its bottom.

4. A signal device for motor vehicles comprising at one side of the vehicle, a pivoting arm, a crank rigidly connected with the said arm, a spring upwardly ur the arm into the vertical-position, a PXVOted at one end to the said link, a cylinder, a piston mounted in this cylinder and ivoted to the other end of the said a conduit connecting this cylinder with the take of the motor, a valve device mounted on the said conduit and contrelled by the driver, a rforated plug on the u per 0 ce of the cylinder, :1. clack valve a apted to close an orifice in "the said pisg ton, this clack valve having an extension thro h the said iston and rejecti ir gm its l gttom, a rotfcafiabl'e of slidmg in the clack valve .and a pted to bear against the said plu lift the said rod relatr el to the clac valve anda second spring. a apted to lift the clack valverrelatively to the In testimony whereof I aflixed my signature.

HENRI LEGENDRE- g,aspringadatedto ar ve hereunto" 

